Top car facts 2014

Snapshot of UK’s 31.9m cars revealed in biggest auto industry survey

As ever, the annual UK automotive census from The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has kicked stacks of fascinating facts…

• There are now 31,917,885 on our roads – a rise of 436,000 in the last year, thanks
• to healthy new car sales and longer lasting cars
• The 1.4% rise in cars on the roads marks the fastest rate of growth for 10 years
• The number of older cars is rising – cars older than 12 years rose 11.3% against
• 2012 and now total two million
• The average age of a car has increased by a full year in the last decade – to 7.7
• years old
• Almost a fifth of models on UK roads were built here, with only Germany boasting a
• higher market share
• Spain, France and Japan make up the rest of the top five
• Thanks to innovative new engines and the introduction of hybrid and electric cars,
• the UK’s CO2 emissions have dropped by 7.3% in the past five years (to average
• 160g/km CO2)
• There are more than 1,453 different models on UK roads, with the Ford Focus taking
• top spot for popularity – boasting almost 1.5 million owners

Most popular UK cars

Ford Focus – 1,462,735
Ford Fiesta – 1,423,254
Vauxhall Corsa – 1,246,650
Vauxhall Astra – 1,188,385
Volkswagen Golf – 998,645
Renault Clio – 680,890
Volkswagen Polo – 625,144
Ford Mondeo – 562,948

Top car colours

Silver – 24.9%
Blue – 20.3%
Black – 18.4%
Red – 10.9%
Grey – 10.8%
Others – 14.7%